Stop actuation device in organs

ABSTRACT

The innovation pertains to a stop actuation device in organs with a keyboard, stop draws and electrical and/or electropneumatical operation of the stop control assembly from the keyboard assembly, which incorporates a preselection device for different stop combinations that can be activated over control mechanisms at the keyboard touch assembly.

United States Patent Ott Feb. 29, 1972 [54] STOP ACTUATION DEVICE INORGANS 3,422,718 1/1969 Noehren ..84/1.03 X 1,173,905 2 1916 W 1t ..8485 [721 3% 9" g 2,699,085 11955 zu ci: .84/1.14X mmgem many 3,172,9393/1965 Campbel1, Jr. et a1.. .....84/1.03 [22] Filed: Mar. 4, 19703,250,168 5/1966 Sepp, Jr. ..84/343 3,420,940 1/ 1969 Glass et a1......84/1.03 [21] App1.No.: 16,348 3,422,718 1/1969 Noehren ..84/ 1.03 X

0 F A u u m m D Primary Examiner-Laramie E. Askin [3 1 orelgn pp ca on oy Assistant Examiner-U. Weldon Mar. 5, 1969 Germany ..G 69 08 662 Anwhinemore, Hulbort 8; Belknap [52] U.S. Cl. ..84/1.03, 84/1.17, 84/1.24[57] ABSTRACT [51] lnt.Cl ..Gl0f1/00 [5s 1 Field of Search ..84/1.17,as, 343,332, 369, 1 Pmams mp 84/470 453 337 01 l 03 345 with a keyboard,stop draws and electrical and/or electropneumatical operation of thestop control assembly from the keyboard assembly, which incorporates apreselection device [56] References cued for different stop combinationsthat can be activated over con- UNITED STATES PATENTS trol mechanisms atthe keyboard touch assembly.

3,213,179 10/1965 Clauson 84/1.03 Q 1 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures STOPACTUATION DEVICE IN ORGANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The invention relates to a stop actuation device in organswith electrical operation of stop mechanisms.

2. Description ofthe Prior Art Notably, the keyboard touch assembly ofan organ includes essentially two groups of control elements: thekeyboards, and the draws that control the stops. Frequently, these stopdraws are controlled from the keyboard assembly, and operatedelectrically from the sound box. In such a system, the stop draws arelayed out in the form of electrical switches. Stop switches of this typehave been known for a long time, and are designed in varyingconfigurations. In order to facilitate the operation of the organ,attempts have been made for a long time to provide the organist withtouch assists which would enable him to preset certain combinations ofstops by pushing buttons on the keyboard assembly. The most populartouch assists are known under the designations of free combinations" andset combinations.

The so-called free combinations, as a rule, involve a large number ofidentical smaller switches, which are in parallel with the drawswitches; they close the same circuit as the actual draw switches,however, they only become actuated when selected over a relay. This, inturn, enables to preset the desired combination, using these additionalswitches, so that this particular combination is available when theselection is made. The disadvantage of this design is in that thekeyboard assembly must be equipped with a very large number of switchesand control'elements, which makes the keyboard extremely cluttered. Onthe other hand, the advantage of this layout is in that the organist canview the preset combination by looking at the positions of theadditional switches.

The so-called set combinations involve the storage of preselectedcombinations by (polarized) relays. Thus, in a five-unit combination,five storage relays are assigned to each draw switch, thus allowing forfive alternate preselections.

. This layout has the disadvantage of involving considerableexpenditures, and accordingly, the design and construction costs areincreased considerably; simultaneously, there is a difficulty involvedin that the organist can only establish the preset combination by usingthe appropriate draw switch. On the other hand, the set combination hasthe advantage that in the keyboard assembly, only the conventional drawswitches are actuated; they are operated manually and can beremote-controlled through the combination-switching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention eliminates the difficultiesentailed in those two systems and develops a stop actuation device inthis frame of reference, which enables the organist, in the simplestmanner and fashion, to have ready and available an arbitrary number ofstop combinations, which can be actuated arbitrarily in the simplestform or manner, simultaneously allowing the organist an unobstructedview of the selected stop combinations.

The invention consists of having each controlling element of the stopcombination at the keyboard assembly connected with a scanningsubassembly of the preselector device, whereby each scanning subassemblyis equipped with a receptacle for a stop-programming carrier, and isalso connected to the control elements of the touch unit. With such alayout of the stop actuation system, the simplified design of thekeyboard assembly, such as used with the set combination system, can beretained. The keyboard assembly thus only incorporates the actual stopswitches, and the control elements of stop combinations. However, thestop combinations are not represented in the form of a multitude ofmemory relays as in the set combination," or by a multitude ofreversible auxiliary switches, such as used in free combinations, butrather by a punched draw programming carrier. The number of possibleperforations on the program carrier is identical to the number of stopswitches incorporated into the keyboard assembly. To simplify thepreparation of an organ recital, it is advantageous to provide the stopprogram carrier with a number of prepunched ranges, which, if required,can be easily perforated. These ranges can be identified conventionally(e.g., using numerals), so that the organist needs only to perforate theranges required for a certain stop combination using his finger, or apencil in order to prepare the program carrier for use for a givencombination of stops.

For each stop to be included into a combination, it is necessary to makean appropriate punch on the respective program carrier that applies tothe particular combination. Since an arbitrary large number of programcarriers conceivably can be prepared, the number of possiblecombinations is also arbitrarily large.

As a matter of expediency, the preselector assembly is designed in amodular form, i.e., it consists of several identical sensing units. Ithas been found from practical experience that, as a rule, four to sixsensing units are sufficient, since it is possible for the organist, orhisassistant, to exchange, without difficulty, the program carriers, asdesired, and four to six sensing units can provide an arbitrary numberof stop combinations.

The preselector unit may be part of the keyboard assembly, whereby theslots for insertion of the program carrier may be located within theorganists reach. Alternately, the preselector unit can be also designedas an easily movable component; this would make it possible to set it atthe most accessible place by the keyboard assembly, or somewhere whereit is out of sight of the audience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I shows a perspective view of thekeyboard assembly of an organ with the proposed new stop actuationsystem.

FIG. 2 shows the top view of a program carrier.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective side view of the scanning subassembly;several identical subassemblies of this kind are combined into thepreselector unit.

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the scanning subassembly fromFIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic or theorgans keyboard assembly. The keyboard assembly (1) is equipped withkeyboards (2a), (2b), and (2c); of these, only the latter is shown indetail. On both sides of the keyboards are bars for the stop switches(3a) through (3g); these switches can be operated by pushbuttons andactuate electrically the controls which are enclosed in the organ.

Under the lower keyboard (2c) is a number of control-andoperatingelements; of these, the elements designated by (6) are used to selectthe stop combinations. It is visualized that in this case there are sixsuch stop combination control-andoperating elements (6). Element (8),referred to as annulator," is designed to cancel out the selected stopcombinations.

In the layout shown on the illustrations, a preselection device isarranged under the bottom stop switch bar (3g) in the right half of thekeyboard assembly. This preselection device is equipped with guide slots(4); these slots open upward and are designed for the introduction ofpunched program carriers. Under every guide slot (4) is an indicatorsubassembly (5), timed for a preferred and limited time-element, when aprogram carrier, inserted into the appropriate guide slot, is chosen bythe actuation of the appropriate control-andoperating element (6) on thekeyboard assembly. This provides an additional control over theselection of available combinations. Accordingly, everycontrol-and-operating element (6) at the keyboard assembly can beprovided with an indicator unit (7) which responds when a programcarrier is inserted into the appropriate slot.

The preselection subassembly, which incorporates the slots (4) and theindicator units (5), can also be alternately and advantageously designedas an independent and easily movable unit; it can also be connected tothe keyboard assembly. This, in turn, enables to optimize the locationof the preselector subassembly with respect to the organists position,so that the organist, while operating the organ, can arbitrarilyexchange the program carriers. Moreover, this creates the opportunity toset up the preselector unit out of the view of the audience, so that theprogram carriers can be exchanged by an assistant organ operator. Thisassistant operator will be always informed by the indicator device (5)as to which keyboard program of those that are available in thepreselection unit has been selected by the organist, and hence, whichprogram is no longer required.

It appears feasible and expedient to use card-shaped program carriers(program cards); these carriers are provided with prepunched holes in acertain program arrangement. The prepunched regions are adequatelyattached to the carrier, so that there is no possibility for them toseparate on their own from the carrier card and to cover the prepunchedopening. On the other hand, the prepunched regions enable the operatorto expose or punch the desired perforations, which are required for theformation of a given stop combination program, by finger, or else usinga pencil, or any other pin-type tool. Such a program carrier (9) isshown on FIG. 2; the not (1-45) yet punched areas are designated bynumeral (11), whereas the punched ranges are designated by (12). Itemcan be equipped with an appropriate legend; the cutoff guiding edgeconventionally indicates the appropriate position of the program carrierthat is suitable for insertion.

The preselector subassembly (4), outlined on FIG. 1, is preferablydesigned from modules and is preferably composed of four to six scanninggroups or subassemblies (15). Each scanning group consists of abox-shaped housing, which is limited on its exterior by carrier plate(18), and on the other side by carrier plate (24). Both carrier platescan be equipped with printed circuits, whereby in the suggested model,carrier plate (18) has a number of photoelectric cells (31), whichcorresponds to the number of perforations, whereas carrier plate (24),also using a printed electrical circuit, carries a number of fittingsfor light sources, e.g., small incandescent lamps (35).

The overlapping edge of plate (18) is equipped with terminal bars (19)for connecting plugs; thus, the module (15) is actually put intooperating position by pushing it into the preselector unit. A maskingplate (20) is arranged at a distance, which is determined by theinterval between distance plate (30) and carrier plate (18); thismasking plate, which is aligned and flushed, has a bore with each cell(31). At the same time, plate (20), along with guides (21), forms thevertical storage container for a program carrier, whereby the latter isinserted in the opening in the direction of arrows (16) and/or 17).

The insertion of the program carrier card is secured at the other sideby a frosted (opal) glass plate (22), which covers frame (23) in whichthe light sources are arranged. The scanning elements (3]) respond whenthe light sources (35) are activated by pulses by the actuation of astop combination control-and-operating element. Since the program,scanned in this manner, and carried by program carrier (9) istransmitted as bootstrap routines to the actuation elements of the touch(music) system, it follows that the function of the program carrier,upon scanning, is completed, regardless of how long the given stopcombination is retained. Thus, immediately after I the program carrierhas been scanned, it can be exchanged, so that the scanning subassemblycan be immediately available for access to another program.

In order to identify the scanning subassembly as to whether or not thegiven program carrier has been scanned by the organist, it is desirableto provide the scanning subassembly with an indicator device (26); thisindicator device will respond depending on the actuation of the stopcombination control elements. By depressing button (27 the indicatordevice can be reset into zero position, particularly when the programcarrier has been re laced.

A funne -shaped gate with retaining elements can be arranged for everypickup and storage slot 16) of the scanning subassemblies (15); thisgate with retaining elements will store a number of programed cards. Anexit slot for the cards must be provided at the bottom end of thestorage slot; this exit slot will have a provision for locking by anappropriate catcher element. The retaining elements and the catcherelement will be designed to respond during the actuation of stopcombination control elements. Thus, the catcher element will release thecard in storage (16), and the card will fall out at the bottom, whereasat the same time, the next card that is being held in readiness, willslide through the guiding funnel-shaped gate into storage (16) and willbe stored for scanning by the catcher element which has been meanwhileput into locking position. This enables the organist to use a sequenceof different program carriers by repeated actuation of each stopcombination control element, without any further manual handling.

Of special significance for the practical handling of the new stopactuation device is the prepunched program carrier card which enables toprovide the desired stop combination in the simplest fashion into theprogram carrier, without resorting to any other auxiliary means.Moreover, of considerable significance is the fact that the programcarriers can be introduced into the vertically arranged scanning systemsvery easily, without making any particular effort as to maintaining theexact position of the card in storage. The required alignment of thecard takes place exclusively under the influence of gravity.

Of significance are also the aforementioned indicator devices, whichenable the organist to have a complete view, at any and all times, ofthe overall state of the program, taking into account the engaged orscanned program carriers. Of considerable import is also the feasibilityof arranging the preselector subassembly as an easily mobile unit, thatis independent of the keyboard assembly.

I claim:

1. In an organ of the class including keyboards and stop draws andelectrical operation of stop mechanisms from the keyboard assembly, astop actuation device comprising a mobile preselector unit comprisingstop program code cards containing a plurality of prepunched areas whichcan be easily perforated, a plurality of modular scanning subassemblieseach of which consists of a box-shaped housing open at one end andhaving a storage area bounded on two opposite sides by carrier platesequipped with printed circuits, one of said carrier plates carrying aplurality of light sources and the other of said plates carrying aplurality of photoelectric cells corresponding to the light sources,said storage area consisting of an elongated masking plate having anelongated guide element on each edge of one face thereof, and alsohaving a plurality of bores each corresponding to and aligned with acell, said cells adapted to receive light rays under control of saidcard which is removably inserted into the storage area.

1. In an organ of the class including keyboards and stop draws andelectrical operation of stop mechanisms from the keyboard assembly, astop actuation device comprising a mobile preselector unit comprisingstop program code cards containing a plurality of prepunched areas whichcan be easily perforated, a plurality of modular scanning subassemblieseach of which consists of a boxshaped housing open at one end and havinga storage area bounded on two opposite sides by carrier plates equippedwith printEd circuits, one of said carrier plates carrying a pluralityof light sources and the other of said plates carrying a plurality ofphotoelectric cells corresponding to the light sources, said storagearea consisting of an elongated masking plate having an elongated guideelement on each edge of one face thereof, and also having a plurality ofbores each corresponding to and aligned with a cell, said cells adaptedto receive light rays under control of said card which is removablyinserted into the storage area.